GARDENDALE, Alabama -- Fifteen mud pits. Nine obstacles. Eight hills. The Mud Duck Mudder obstacle race at Cornerstone Ranch in Gardendale will push runners to the limit.
The race will be held June 28 as part of Buffalo Wild Wings' Summer Fest event in Gardendale. Contestants may run in pairs as a team or individually. Teams will have the extra challenge of carrying a sandbag throughout the course. Prize money totaling $1,000 will be awarded following the race. The overall male team and the overall female team will each win $350, and the overall male and female individual winners will each receive $150. But it won't be an easy win, according to Red Alexander of Cornerstone Ranch who helped build the course.
"I just thought—what would be the most misery I could give these guys," Alexander told AL.com. Alexander races dirt bikes through the woods and creates dirt bike courses, so when Buffalo Wild Wings Gardendale and Cornerstone Ranch partnered for the Mud Duck Mudder, they enlisted his help.
"This is easier because all you need is a pair of sneakers," Alexander said. Those sneakers are sure to be covered in mud and drenched in water by the time the race over.
The 4-mile course includes a creek participants must cross several times. The race also includes man-made and natural obstacles, all of which have names. The "Tunnel of Love" and "Honey Pot" may sound sweet, but don't be fooled. "The Wall" is exactly what it sounds like—a wall you must climb over that's surrounded by mud. "Jake's Rib Cage" got its name after a guy named Jake broke is rib in that location, though he wasn't actually running the course at the time. Alexander even has an obstacle named after him called "Red's Recipe." Then there's "The Big Enchilada." "It's a hill so steep it will put tears in your eyes," Alexander said.
The course isn't all torture. "There are some sections that are refreshing, like you'll be walking down a big valley with a beautiful creek," Alexander said. "So, it's just not relentless. You'll go through some sections where you'll get a breather and enjoy the scenery." And water will be provided to participants every 1.2 miles. See what the course is like in the video above from Chad Langston of CrossFit Gardendale. Langston wore a GoPro camera when he recently ran the race with Jay Beard of Buffalo Wild Wings. For those who want something a little less challenging but just as muddy, there is a 1-mile Mud Duck Fun Run for all ages.
The mud and the obstacles are only one part of the race. The second part is all about the duck. Each racer will receive a rubber ducky in their race packets. The ducks should be decorated at home, and runners should make sure to include their race number on the duck. The duck must cross the finish line with the runner. After the race, the best decorated mud duck will win an award.
Following the Mud Duck Mudder, festivities will move to Buffalo Wild Wings in Gardendale for Summer Fest where the winners will be announced and a medal ceremony will be held. Summer Fest also includes a cornhole tournament at 2 p.m., inflatables for kids, live music and a firework show at 9 p.m.
Summer Fest and the Mud Duck Mudder benefit Cornerstone Ranch, a non-profit Christian camp dedicated to developing self-esteem and character in the lives of youth in need through recreational activities.
The Mud Duck Mudder and Summer Fest will be held June 28. Click here to register for the Mud Duck Mudder and for more information including costs and directions.
For more stories on Gardendale, visit al.com/local/gardendale.